Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has appointed Justice Kazeem Alogba as the 17th chief judge of Lagos State with effect from Tuesday, June 11, 2019.
A statement signed by the governor’s spokesman, Gboyega Akosile, on Monday disclosed that the appointment is in acting capacity pending the recommendation of the National Judicial Council (NJC) and subsequent confirmation of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
“The appointment of the new Acting Chief Judge is consequent upon the need to prevent a vacuum in the State Judiciary, given the imminent retirement of the present Chief Judge of Lagos State, Honourable Justice Opeyemi Oke, who is set to disengage statutorily from the State Judiciary from today Monday 10 June 2019.
“Accordingly, the newly appointed Acting Chief Judge will be sworn-in on Thursday 13th June 2019 in the Governor’s Office, Lagos House, Alausa Ikeja at 10.00 am,” the statement said.
Alogba is the first male appointed chief judge of Lagos in 10 years following a succession of four female leaders of the judiciary in the state.
The last four occupiers of the seat were Justice Inumidun Akande (2009 – 2012), Justice Ayotunde Phillips (2012 – 2014), Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade (2014 – 2017) and Justice Opeyemi Oke (2017 – 2019).
Justices Phillips and Atilade are blood sisters.
Prior to his latest appointment, Justice Alogba was the most senior of the 58 justices in the state judiciary next to the out-going chief judge.
He had chaired the committee on the review of the High Court Civil Procedure Rules, which culminated in the new High Court of Lagos (Civil Procedure) Rules of 2019 that came into force on 31 January 2019.
